U.S. Moves Missile Destroyers Near Korea

South Korean antiaircraft armored vehicles move over a temporary bridge during military exercises on Monday in Hwacheon, near the border with North Korea.
Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

By

Julian E. Barnes in Washington,

In-Soo Nam and

Kwanwoo Jun in Seoul

Updated April 1, 2013 6:46 p.m. ET

The U.S. positioned a ship capable of shooting down ballistic missiles near the Korean peninsula, defense officials said, as South Korea President Park Geun-hye called for "strong retaliation" against any provocations from North Korea.

Ms. Park said the country's military should "make a strong and swift response in initial combat without any political considerations." Her comments signaled an increasing willingness in South Korea to respond forcefully to any attacks, and Washington appeared eager to prevent any rash action by Seoul that could ignite an outright conflict on the peninsula.

South Korean president Park Geun-hye has called for 'strong retaliation' against any provocations by the North. Julian Barnes reports.

White House press secretary Jay Carney said recent moves by the U.S. military were aimed at easing pressure on Seoul to take unilateral action. He said that the U.S. hasn't seen evidence the North Korean military has begun large-scale mobilizations, and that recent rhetoric from Pyongyang was a repeat of past behavior.

Mr. Carney's remarks appeared aimed at reminding Seoul not to take overly aggressive steps. He didn't comment on Ms. Park's comments on Monday, but said U.S. officials were in close contact with South Korean leaders. He said the U.S. measures in the region were "designed to be both reassuring to our allies in the region and…making clear that unilateral action is not necessary."

Indeed the U.S. appears to have stepped up its own displays of might at least in part to prevent South Korea from having to take any sort of provocative military move, without undermining the South Korean government or creating an incentive for further provocations by the North.

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Military officials said the USS McCain is being positioned off South Korea. The destroyer is capable of assisting in the intercept of medium- and long-range missiles, officials said. A second ship, the USS Decatur, is en route from the Philippines.

Lt. Anthony Falvo, a spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, said the ships were being positioned "to monitor any potential missile launch or provocative actions by North Korea and to reassure regional allies."

The McCain is the only missile-defense-capable ship currently monitoring North Korean launches. In December, at the time of the long-range multistage North Korean rocket launch, four Navy ballistic missile capable ships were on station. The December test demonstrated the regime had the capability of launching an intercontinental missile capable of striking Alaska or Hawaii, though there is no evidence such missiles can carry nuclear warheads.

A defense official noted that moving a ship into "the box" to be ready to attempt to intercept a North Korean launch has become standard as tensions rise.

The U.S. has deployed B-2s and B-52s to fly over South Korean as part of joint exercises. Over the weekend two F-22 planes were deployed to Osan Air Base in South Korea. Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said Monday the planes would not be actively participating in the exercises but would be "on static display" for South Korean leaders to observe "an advanced capability that is available for the defense of South Korea."

North Korea's state media on Monday criticized the U.S.'s military maneuvers, warning that the move posed "a nuclear threat" to Pyongyang and said Washington would face "serious consequences" for the action.

ENLARGE

A South Korean marine sits on a K-55 self-propelled howitzer during an exercise against possible attacks by North Korea near the border village of Panmunjom, South Korea, on Monday.
Associated Press

South Korea's government in recent weeks has stepped up its level of counterthreat against the North, mindful of the widespread domestic criticism of an inadequate response to two attacks in 2010.

Victor Cha, a Korea analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the comments from President Park on Monday appeared to be designed to balance out her promises last week of food aid. "It is so she doesn't look weak or wishy-washy," Mr. Cha said.

The escalation of rhetoric on both sides of the border has increased concerns that even a small provocation by the North could spark a much larger conflict that may draw in the U.S. and potentially other countries in the region.

Pyongyang's Nuclear Program

Mr. Cha said the counterprovocation plan signed by the U.S. and South Korea in March would ensure that the two allies remain in agreement on responding to attacks from the North. "It prevents things from escalating," he said.

Meanwhile, North Korea's parliament, in its annual one-day session on Monday, reaffirmed a commitment to developing nuclear weapons, further rocket launches and the country's existing economic model—despite the return of Pak Pong Ju, an official considered an economic reformer, to the post of premier.

Mr. Pak, who is known to have shown interest in the economic systems in China and South Korea was removed from the post in 2007—some believe because of his support for new economic policies including an hourly wage system. He is a close associate of Kim Jong Eun's aunt Kim Kyong Hui and uncle Jang Song Thaek and had gradually moved back into more senior roles over the past few years.

Analysts cautioned that it was too early to tell what Mr. Pak's role or influence in economic policy might be. Meetings of the central committee of North Korea's Worker's Party on Sunday and the Supreme People's Assembly on Monday have emphasized trying to extract production gains from the moribund industrial and agricultural sectors without suggesting any economic reforms.

Historically, South Korean governments have tried to de-escalate military tensions triggered by North Korean aggression. But the sinking of a South Korean warship and the shelling of an island in 2010, which killed 50 South Koreans, led to a change of strategy and a commitment to hit back hard and fast. The defense minister resigned after the 2010 attacks for what was considered to be a slow and weak response.

When North Korea said on March 5 it intended to nullify the armistice agreement that brought conflict in the Korean War to an end in 1953 and threatened to attack Seoul, South Korea's military made a rare and forceful response.

"Our military will strongly and sternly retaliate by striking not only the origin of provocations but also its supporting unit and its commanding forces," said Kim Yong-hyun, a senior official in Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff office.

The standoff with North Korea has become Ms. Park's first major challenge since she took office in late February. In one change, she revived a committee in charge of national security that reports directly to her, a move that some observers say will ensure a tough response to North Korean provocations.

The National Security Council is headed by Kim Jang-soo, a hawkish former defense minister. Mr. Kim is well regarded by conservatives in South Korea and has been nicknamed the "Upright General" because he, unlike many other South Korean delegates to a 2007 inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, refused to bow to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il while shaking hands.

Also on the council is Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, an official loathed by Pyongyang for his firm stance on security.

South Korea also said it would speed up plans to develop its own missile-defense systems. A Defense Ministry plans unveiled on Monday include accelerating the setup of a missile system called "Kill Chain" that is aimed at pre-emptively detecting, targeting and destroying missile and other military installations in the North as well as its command structure if signs of an attack are detected.

Officials didn't provide a new time frame for the implementation of the system, but Seoul has previously said it would deploy it by the end of 2015.

The ministry also said it plans to develop a separate missile-defense system to intercept incoming missiles "at the earliest possible time." Seoul is now covered by U.S. missile defenses, which can launch antiballistic missiles from strategic points, such as U.S. bases in Japan or warships near the peninsula.

Comprehensive defense plans could be formalized in October, when defense chiefs of South Korea and the U.S. hold annual security talks, the ministry said.

Seoul also said Monday it will strengthen cyberwarfare forces and develop measures to counter cyberattacks by the North. Last month, computer servers at three TV stations and a number of commercial banks were hacked and severely damaged in one of South Korea's biggest Internet shutdowns.

Investigations are continuing, but some private experts said North Korea may have been ultimately responsible. North Korea has been blamed for numerous cyberattacks on South Korea.

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